Department ‘working around the clock’ to speed up passport applications, Coveney says

The Department of Foreign Affairs is “working around the clock” to speed up the issuing new passports Simon Coveney has said, following reports the under-pressure service had been inundated with queries from TDs on behalf of constituents.

“There has been a 50 to 60 per cent increase in passport applications this year,” Mr Coveney said. “We are responding to that by [having] a lot more people on the job, and we will continue that”.

The Minister said the Passport Service issued 7,000 passports a day last week and the week before. The total number of passports issued so far this year is almost 600,000, close to what it would usually be over a full year, he said.

The waiting time for first-time applications, which take the longest to process, has been cut from 40 to 25 working days, the Minister said, adding that the department has “effectively doubled” the number of passport office personnel. He said the office has a new arrangement with An Garda Síochána to fast-track the verification processes to cut delays, and more people have been assigned to take helpline calls.

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“I am conscious of the fact, of course, people are travelling this summer in a way they haven’t for the last two years because of Covid,” Mr Coveney said.

“We are working around the clock to deliver passports on time.”

The Minister’s comments follow pressure from Government backbenchers and the Opposition to improve the Passport Service.

The service received 12,200 queries from politicians on behalf of constituents since the start of the year amid a surge in applications as Covid-era travel restrictions are eased.

TDs have been inundated with requests for assistance from voters worried that their travel documents will not arrive in time for their trips.

Much of the delays being experienced relate to people making a first passport application for children due to the extra security checks required.

‘Constantly engaged’

Aontú TD Peadar Tóibín previously raised the issue with Mr Coveney saying the phoneline is “constantly engaged” and asking “if he will ensure that elected members and their staff are not held responsible for failings at the Passport Office”.

In a written response, Mr Coveney said the helpline was dealing “with record numbers of calls” and had handled 12,200 since the start of the year. That works out at an average of 554 queries per week.

Mr Coveney said cases raised by politicians are reviewed but can only be expedited where there is a “genuine emergency” including urgent medical treatment overseas or the death of a family member abroad.

He added that politicians “often hear of the most complex and pressing cases” and the “overwhelming majority of passport applicants have their passport processed without any recourse to their local TD”.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said 80 per cent of applications were renewals for adults and children and 99 per cent of these are issued within the standard turnaround time of up to 15 working days in the case of children.

Last Thursday, Mr Coveney told Fine Gael TDs and Senators that a new agreement had been struck with the Garda on witnessing first-time child applications.

He said that 50 applications a day were being “stalled and need new consent forms because of the inability to contact the witnessing Garda around the country”.

He added: “From now on, a daily list will be transmitted between the Passport Office and Garda management ... where contact hasn’t been made and the contact will then be initiated on the Garda side meaning the application won’t be cancelled.”

Asked about the changes to the process and if had been working smoothly, a Garda spokesman said: “An Garda Síochána has and continues to have good working relationships with the Passport Office.”